About
Galina Khmeleva, lace knitter, spinner and educator extraordinaire, is the author of Gossamer Webs, The History and Techniques of Orenburg Lace Shawls and Gossamer Webs, The Design Collection. She has mentored classes all over the globe, including Great Britain, Italy, Australia, the United States of America and Craft Cruises’ Baltic Cruise.
Galina’s work has appeared in the industry’s leading magazines including Piecwork, Interweave Knits, Spin-Off, Knitting Traditions, Knitter’s Magazine, Cast On, Wild Fibers and Verena USA.
Born in 1950 in Leningrad, today’s St. Petersburg, in Russia Galina was educated there. It soon became clear that her interests lie more in the field of art and less in science or mathematics. She took advantage of every opportunity to participate in special after school art programs.
When as a 25 year old she spent almost two months’ pay for a hand-knit lace shawl from the Orenburg region. Maybe she was influenced by a very popular song of the time, “Orenburgski Pukhovi Platok” (Gossamer Shawl from Orenburg). Fifteen years later she became a student of the Orenburg knitting elite. This was possible because of a scholarship from the USAID, the United States Agency for International Development. The result for Galina was a job as PR manager for a company from Orenburg that had set itself the goal of making Orenburg lace known outside of Russia.
In the Russian Opera society that she frequantait while married to her husband, she was bathed in fashion.
“Until an American doing business in St. Petersburg met an “anonymous” society seamstress who had a dream”
Later she met George Girard, a businessman from Boston. Together they discussed the goals for her “Orenburg Project”. George encouraged her to press on. They became friends and later married - and founded their own company, Skaska Designs.
In 1996 Galina and George moved to the United States and there traveled from coast to coast, giving courses and seminars. Orenburg lace became a phenomenon of the knitting world. The demand for courses was overwhelming. Needlework magazines presented background articles and knitting instructions. The knitters earned a fair wage for their work. They had reached their goal.
Galina lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband George Girard and her beloved cats, Sasha and ?.
As a designer Galina has published 2 books and created over 50 patterns. One of her major influencers is Olga A. Federova, she is considered the finest Orenburg lace knitter in the world and is now recognized as a master knitter in her native land.
Galina has made a lifework of learning the traditional skills of Orenburg spinners and knitters and promoting their artistry throughout the world. She has taught heirloom lace knitting techniques across the country and around the world for almost thirty years.
Artist Statement:
“Every time I begin a new project, I recall with deep respect, the influence that the knitters of Orenburg have had on me, and I see it in my work. I have invested over three decades, or half of my life, in the development and cultivation of a close cooperation with a group of extremely talented “yarn artists”. The result is an extensive collection of unique lace patterns. I feel an obligation to preserve this treasure for future generations of lace knitters.
“For over three hundred years, knitters from the Orenburg region of Russia have been creating Gossamer-style lace shawls and scarves from a series of basic elements and patterns handed down from generation to generation. In hopes of preserving this indigenous textile art form, Galina has worked with these talented craftspeople to chart these unique knitted lace masterpieces, thus providing the opportunity for one to create their very own heirloom Orenburg-style shawl or scarf”
“My dream is to preserve the heritage of Orenberg-style lace. 30 years of patterns from all around the Orenburg province.